Real Madrid have escalated their long-running battle with Barcelona by formally demanding that their rivals be stripped of 28 major titles.
Real Madrid Demand Barcelona Lose 28 Titles in Referee Payment Scandal
The Spanish giants sent UEFA a massive 50,000-page dossier this week, urging European football’s governing body to reopen the infamous Negreira case and issue sanctions.
The controversy centers on payments Barcelona made to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s refereeing committee.
Between 2001 and 2018, the Catalan club transferred €8.4 million to Negreira.
Real Madrid now argue these payments constitute bribery and demand Barcelona forfeit every trophy won during that 17-year period.
UEFA initially examined the case after allegations surfaced in February 2023.
However, the investigation stalled because authorities lacked concrete proof that the payments actually influenced match outcomes.
Barcelona consistently denied wrongdoing, claiming they hired Negreira as an “external consultant” to provide video reports on youth players from other Spanish clubs.
Club president Joan Laporta remains defiant. Despite facing charges of bribery, sports corruption, unfair administration, and forgery, Laporta insists Barcelona never bought referees.
He maintains the club operated within legal boundaries.
Real Madrid’s intervention changes everything. UEFA confirmed receiving a “large amount” of documents from Los Blancos.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the case now advances to a detailed evidence-examination phase.
Investigators will gather information from all parties, listen to testimonies, and give Barcelona an opportunity to present their defense.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin previously described the situation as “extremely serious” when it first emerged.
He stated it ranked among the most serious situations he had ever witnessed in football.
If UEFA accepts Real Madrid’s argument, Barcelona could lose 28 major honors.
The potential sanctions would fundamentally alter Spanish football history and strip the club of its most successful era.
